


Honorable Service

by ami_ven



Series: Home on the Range (Wild West AU) [8]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Western, Community: mcsheplets, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 19:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14088474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: John and Rodney are both anxious, for very different reasons.





	Honorable Service

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #276 "anxious"

In all honesty, Rodney hadn’t paid much attention to the War Between the States.

As a Canadian, he’d had almost no knowledge of American politics before he’d finished university and begun getting offers to work for their government, and he’d had almost no interest in learning more until he’d taken a very ill-considered job working for the American Army in Virginia. Rodney had never had any moral problem building weapons before – humans had been at war since their species was invented and would continue to do so until long after he was gone – but the Army captain who’d hired him, Kolya, was another thing entirely. 

Rodney did not agree with the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery, but that was a debate for politicians and humanitarians, not scientists like himself. Except, it seemed it _would_ soon be the problem of everyone living in America. There was unrest in the southern states, growing feelings of separation from the north, and Captain Kolya became increasingly unreasonable.

Usually, Rodney would work on two or three projects at a time, engineering problems or mathematical proofs or mechanical improvements, but Kolya soon demanded all of his attention, until he stopped even getting other offers, until he stopped seeing anyone but the soldiers Kolya had assisting him.

It took him months to realize that letters from his sister, who wrote him like clockwork, had stopped coming.

He left the next morning – and a week later, the southern states declared their succession from the United States. Rodney only heard vague news of the war, making his way steadily west. By the time actual fighting had broken out, he’d reached the Missouri territory – or was it a state? Rodney couldn’t keep track – but he kept moving, finally claiming a small parcel of untamed land in the Colorado territory.

Rodney knew the war was over, but never cared to know more until an ex-Union Army major stumbled into his life.

Not that John ever talked about the war. After his brief explanation when they’d met, he hardly even mentioned it, and Rodney never felt the need to pry. But though John seemed to find his peace in Rodney’s little homestead, he was still wary about venturing into town, twitchy and anxious until they were back on their own property.

It made Rodney twitchy, too, to see that cowboy swagger slow and those strong shoulders hunch, and he decided to do something about it.

John had long since taken over all of Rodney’s correspondence, writing polite replies to his clients and chatty letters to his sister, but Rodney still read all of the incoming mail, so he felt confident writing his own letter to the head of what was becoming their biggest client, a Mr. S. Carter, of the Carter Railroad Company.

As requested, the response came as a footnote in the next engine design requirements, a simple _We’d be happy to do everything we can to help Mr. Sheppard._

And then, Rodney was the anxious one, pestering Ford, the kid who rode out with the mail, for weeks after that letter arrived. 

“They’re going to love your design,” said John, reassuringly, which only made Rodney feel guilty on top of nervous, for not being able to tell him the truth. “All your designs are great.”

“I know, but—”

Rodney broke off as the sound of hoof beats grew louder, and a horse and rider appeared at the edge of the dirt road. “What do you have for me?” he demanded, before Ford had even brought his mount to a stop.

Fortunately, the young man was used to him. “Looks like the usual job. Should I come back tomorrow to get your orders for material?”

Rodney was furiously opening the paper-wrapped package, so John nodded, smiling, “Standard procedure, Ford. Safe trip back to town.”

The kid tipped his hat and turned his horse back to the road. John watched him go, then turned to Rodney, who clutched the package tightly for a moment, then held it out.

“Please, don’t be mad,” he said.

John frowned. “Why would I be mad? What could possibly be in here that’s so—?”

Rodney knew the moment he found it. John had rifled quickly through the papers, an actual project from the Carter Company, until he came to one that didn’t fit with the others.

“ _To all whom it may concern_ ,” he began, reading aloud, then his eyes widened. He read it through once, then again, then said, faintly, “ _Know ye, that John Sheppard … hereby discharged from the service of the United States … by reason of his completion of honorable service … holding the rank of major… signed Major General J. O’Neill…_ ”

He looked up, complete shock on his face. “Rodney, how?”

“I didn’t mean to breach your trust, John,” the inventor said. “I know you’ve avoided your rank, your past, all of it, but I just couldn’t stand it anymore! I worked with the military, before the war, I caught phrases of it in Carter’s instructions, I thought he might have served, might have enough friends and influence as head of a company as large as his to know somebody who could… I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” John repeated. He let out a long, shaky breath, slid the discharge paper back into the packet, set it carefully on the front porch – and seized the lapels of Rodney’s coat to draw him in for an intense kiss.

“So… not mad?” breathed Rodney, when they broke for air.

John, who had immediately pulled him into a tight hug, huffed a laugh against Rodney’s shoulder. “I’ve been on the run for so long, looking over my shoulder, just waiting for some Army goons to come and drag me away from you, and you just… I don’t know why you ever thought you were bad with people, you always know exactly what I need.”

“Maybe I’m just selfish,” Rodney mumbled. “Want to keep you all to myself.”

John grinned and kissed him again. “See? Exactly what I need.”

THE END

**Author's Note:**

>  **Note:** there is a side-story in the works about the Carter Railroad Company, which I haven’t written yet, that explains all about ‘Mr.’ S. Carter (spoiler – the S is for Samantha) and her connection to General J. O’Neill. Coming soon (ish)!


End file.
